Here on the DIY Backyard Farm we have access to some of the most fresh, tasty and healthy ingredients available. Growing our own provides us with something akin to having our own farmers market right outside the door of our home.

The benefits of growing your own produce are many. The topic and question posed with this post made me think of the various tastes and which one if any I could do without. Our produce is plenty sweet from the natural plant sugars, sometimes it is spicy too. One thing it is not is salty. In fact, we hardly use salt in our home at all. The ingredients we use are of such quality that little salt is required. They just taste so good eaten raw or simply prepared.

I would hate to think I would have to give up one of my senses of taste. However, salt would be the one if I had to choose.

I heard it again today. Someone told me they are into white wines and have not graduated to reds yet. What is with this weird, but true process many wine aficionados go through?

Why do whites appeal to the uninitiated so much? I have been asking around and the answers are as varied as the opinions on our national debt crisis. Some like sweeter wines (Riesling, white zin, dessert wines), some like cold wines, and many are just not ready for tannin. I feel bad for some of these folks. Many are missing almost the entire wine experience. In fact, as you chill a wine all of the flavor profiles close up. This works great for flawed or inferior wines like white zinfandel. I just do not get why people would want to drink this way. Is it purely for the buzz? If so, have a margarita!
Be sure to grab a spare cap and gown the next time you hear someone tell you they have yet to graduate to reds. There is nothing wrong with white wines. Just don’t drink them because you are afraid of reds.

Americans are drinking more wine than ever before. In fact, we have passed country after country in wine consumption as scores of gen Xers and now gen Y’s start to sniff, swirl, and taste.

I think this is just great!

Today, more than ever, consumers crave a story. They want to go beyond pure consumption and even conspicuous consumption. People want to be engaged with the brands they align with.

Wine has been a direct beneficiary of this phenominum. Think about all the back labels you have read. Some stories are trite (think kangaroos, penguins, etc.). Others are more meaningful. Each story helps us go beyond the wine as we step into the vines, touch the dirt, and smell the air.

Finally, wines are more affordable than ever! Check that, QUALITY WINES are more affordable than ever. We have our choice of country, varietal, etc. You don’t have to be wealthy to be into wine. In fact, it is an inexpensive vacation for many of us.

Just got my first peek at a new, ummm bottling, of Cliff Family Winery “climber pouch” wines. The wines are not at all in a bottle. Instead they are packaged in a resealable, enviro friendly pouch. Each pouch looks to equal 2 bottles.
I have not tried this wine yet, but I will. In fact, for my every day wines I have no problem with boxes, bags, or pouches unless they are in a material that has toxicity (think BPA). That’s my main concern with wine that is not sold in glass. Sure they tell us it is safe, but that’s what they said about canned goods until BPA came on the scene.
Anyway, I’m OK with drinking some wine from these innovative packages for right now. They are good for the planet, easy on the wallet, and stay fresh longer once opened.
What do you think???

That is what I sometimes say to people who switch from reds to whites as soon as the thermometer goes over 80 degrees outside.

It is OK to give your reds a light chill before serving. This goes double for red wines that may have slight flaws because colder serving temps can hide some imperfections.

I like to stick my reds in the fridge for a bit prior to serving and then pour them a few degrees below the temp I want to enjoy them at. It is OK if you go a tad too cold because the wine will warm up in the glass fairly fast.